VACCINE BLITZ RESUMES THIS WEEKEND
Minister of Health, Dr Chris Tufton, announced there will be a blitz this weekend for persons to receive their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Mexican government on Wednesday donated 65,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the country.
Tufton said that 25,000 Jamaicans are expected to be vaccinated this weekend in centres across nine parishes. He stressed that only those persons who are within the eight to 10 weeks period, after receiving their first dose of the vaccine, will get the second dose.
“Don’t come if you do not fall in that category. It’s important because we know there is going to be a temptation for persons to come to get a first dose or even to get a second dose, under the eight-week period, because there may still be the residual feeling of concern or even panic that when these supplies run out, there won’t be any other. I want to reassure you that things will get better, based on the discussions taking place, and we really want to deal with those persons who have had their first dose between eight and 12 weeks,” Tufton said.
“I’m appealing to the public, do not go to a centre if you do not require a second dose. if you go and you don’t have evidence of that, chances are you going to be turned away,” he explained.
Jamaica has relaxed restrictions that have been imposed to control the spread of COVID19. Entertainment events that have been prohibited for nearly a year are now allowed to take place. Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacqueline Bisasor-McKenzie has urged citizens to be responsible.
“Not because you are allowed now to have some gatherings, should you all be going out and discarding your preventions. It is still the no gathering prevention that has been the most effective. Persons need to be responsible and adhere to the restrictions, so that they can prevent exposure and prevent the number of increases,” Bisasor-McKenzie added.
She issued a strong warning for residents to remain cautious as data from the Ministry of Health and Wellness indicate that there is currently a low vaccination level that exists among the population, which means the vaccination levels do not have much impact on our transmission rate.
“The delta variant is something that we really are watchful for, we certainly don’t want it in the country because we realised that it has an increased transmissible rate and also that there is an increased chance of admission. In our population that is vastly not populated, it does put us as risk,” she said.
Up to July 1, there have been 50,166 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country, with 30,192 recoveries. Some 1,080 persons have died from the disease.